The Gulf

The Gulf

As many of the Arab Gulf states make strides to reduce their dependence on oil and implement social and economic reforms, they continue to face political and security challenges from external and internal threats. The Gulf states must respond to evolving external relationships, threats from Iran, terrorism, and civil conflict spillover while also harnessing the powers of technological advances and innovative reforms to modernize their economies. A new generation of leadership must adapt to a booming, educated, and globally-connected youth population, often unemployed and increasingly raising concerns about the rule of law and their role as citizens.

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Featured commentary & analysis

“Shoot everybody”: US contractors in San Diego court

MENASource Jun 24, 2025

Dispatch from the Gulf: Finding middle ground amid Israel-Iran war

By Allison Minor

Congressional delegation visit coincided with Israel and Iran squaring off in a direct military confrontation.
Iran Israel
“Shoot everybody”: US contractors in San Diego court

MENASource May 28, 2025

Mickey goes to the Gulf: The UAE’s wish upon a soft power star

By Amit Yarom

In a region often defined by hard power rivalries, Abu Dhabi has chosen to compete through visibility, credibility and imagination.
Media Middle East
“Shoot everybody”: US contractors in San Diego court

MENASource May 23, 2025

The Gulf is emerging as Washington’s new strategic anchor

By Joze Pelayo

The so-called US “Golden Age for the Gulf” is one rooted in strategic utility, equal footing, high-stake deals, and fewer strings.
Middle East Politics & Diplomacy

Counterterrorism Study Group

The Counterterrorism Study Group is a forum for former counterterrorism officials to review the latest threats, to understand emerging trends and future predictions, and to explore creative new proposals for improving the effectiveness of current policies and operations.

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Podcast series

Listen to the latest episode of the China-MENA podcast, featuring conversations with academics, government leaders, and the policy community on China’s role in the Middle East.

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Gulf Security Task Force

The Gulf Security Task Force is revisiting the question of how to best protect US interests in this sensitive, always relevant region. Our goal is to provide US decision-makers with an updated, fact-based strategy for protecting US interests in the air and maritime domain from the Persian Gulf to the Red Sea, and ensuring Gulf partners’ ability to assume this responsibility, with the assistance and leadership of the United States.

EXPLORE THE GULF SECURITY TASK FORCE

Content

Podcast

Jun 18, 2026

“Shoot everybody”: US contractors in San Diego court

By Alia Brahimi

In Season 2, Episode 16 of the Guns for Hire podcast, host Alia Brahimi is joined by Daniel McLaughlin, an international lawyer and Legal Director of the Centre for Justice and Accountability (CJA), a California-based legal nonprofit working on behalf of victims of torture and other atrocity crimes. Daniel and CJA are leading a civil suit in San Diego against a Delaware-registered PMC, Spear Operations Group, for war crimes in Yemen. They represent the Yemeni parliamentarian Anssaf Ali Mayo, who was one of the targets of an alleged hit-squad in Yemen. Daniel talks us through the facts of the case, how it ended up in a California courtroom ten years later, and which US and international laws were ostensibly broken by the PMC. He also argues forcefully that the US government has a duty to regulate how former members of its military use their training and know-how.

Middle East Rule of Law

Dispatches

Jun 17, 2026

What the US-Iran deal means for the rest of the Middle East (and beyond)

By Atlantic Council experts

Atlantic Council experts look at the ways the memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran will affect other countries.

Conflict Economy & Business

Dispatches

Jun 14, 2026

Experts react: The US and Iran just announced an interim peace deal. Here’s what we know so far.

By Atlantic Council experts

As details emerge, our experts are sharing their insights on what we know—and still don’t know—about the deal, and what to expect next.

Conflict Iran

Dispatches

Jun 12, 2026

It’s not a ‘deal.’ But Trump’s memorandum with Iran can be the start of something bigger.

By Jonathan Panikoff

What appears to be emerging now is a rough outline and high-level explanation of the concepts that an eventual deal could include.

Conflict Iran

In the News

Jun 4, 2026

Saab published in the Financial Times on Gulf support for Ukraine

By Atlantic Council

On June 4, Forward Defense nonresident senior fellow Bilal Saab published an article in the Financial Times, discussing the benefit of a counter-drone defense partnership between the Gulf states and Ukraine. He argues this partnership would benefit Gulf states by integrating advanced Ukrainian drone defense technology into existing systems and provide Ukraine with much-needed capital.  

Defense Policy Security & Defense

In the News

May 30, 2026

Charai for The Jerusalem Strategic Tribune: What Do the Gulf States Really Want?

By Atlantic Council

Geopolitics & Energy Security Middle East

Dispatches

May 22, 2026

The Iran problem won’t be solved without a counter-drone coalition

By Bilal Y. Saab and Natasha Ahmed

The United States should form a partnership with Ukraine and Gulf partners around the idea of counter-drone-as-a-service, instead of selling counter-drone hardware alone.

Conflict Defense Technologies

Inflection Points Dialogues

May 20, 2026

UAE presidential advisor Anwar Gargash on the Iran war, the Abraham Accords, and Europe-Gulf cooperation

By Frederick Kempe

On the sidelines of the Europe Gulf Forum, Gargash shares his thoughts on the Iran war and its far-reaching consequences.

Conflict Energy & Environment

Inflection Points Dialogues

May 19, 2026

‘Numbers are getting worse’: The head of the IMF on the Iran war shock, inflation, AI risks, and more

By Frederick Kempe

Watch IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva talk with Atlantic Council President and CEO Frederick Kempe from the Europe Gulf Forum in Greece.

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia

MENASource

May 19, 2026

After the Iran war, the Gulf’s next economic phase awaits

By Khalid Azim

The region is no longer defined by a single economic model based on energy extraction, but by a set of diverging strategies shaped by common constraints.

Economy & Business Inclusive Growth
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Experts

Millennium fellow

Sharif Abdelrazeq

Sustainability and Innovation Engineer, Consolidated Contractors Company

Millennium Leadership Program

Economy & Business Middle East

Fellow

Ahmed Aboudouh

Former Nonresident Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative

Arabic China

Fellow

Osamah Al Rawhani

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative

Middle East Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding

Fellow

Yesar Al-Maleki

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Iraq Initiative Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Geopolitics & Energy Security

Fellow

Perrihan Al-Riffai

Nonresident Senior Fellow

empowerME Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Economy & Business

Fellow

Samir Altaqi

Nonresident Senior Fellow, Syria Project

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic Middle East
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